Jobi McAnuff

Jobi McAnuff

McAnuff playing for Reading in 2013
Personal information
Full nameJoel Joshua Frederick Melvin McAnuff[1][2]
Date of birth9 November 1981[1]
Place of birthEdmonton, England
Height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Playing positionMidfielder
Club information
Current team
Leyton Orient
Number11
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2001–2004Wimbledon96(13)
2004West Ham United13(1)
2004–2005Cardiff City43(2)
2005–2007Crystal Palace75(12)
2007–2009Watford82(5)
2009–2014Reading189(14)
2014–Leyton Orient33(3)
National team‡
2002–Jamaica12(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:03, 25 April 2015 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 09:59, 9 March 2014 (UTC)

Joel Joshua Frederick Melvin "Jobi" McAnuff (born 9 November 1981) is a professional footballer playing for Leyton Orient.

He began his career at Wimbledon, making over 100 appearances for the club before brief spells at West Ham United and Cardiff City. McAnuff joined Crystal Palace in 2005, spending two years there before moving again, this time to Watford before joining Reading in 2009. He was appointed captain in 2011 and went on to make over 200 appearances in all competition for the Royals. Prior to Reading's promotion to the Premier League in 2011–12 he had spent his entire career playing in England's second tier, amassing over 400 league appearances. He joined Leyton Orient in 2014. He is predominantly a winger but he has also played as an occasional central midfielder.

Despite being born in London, McAnuff has represented Jamaica, his father's country of birth, at international level. He made his debut in May 2002 although his next appearance did not come until nearly eleven years later in February 2013.

Club career

Early career

Born in Edmonton, London, McAnuff made his professional debut in the 2001–02 season with First Division side Wimbledon.[1] He played 104 games and scored 15 goals for the club, staying until Wimbledon's last ever season, 2003–04 (they later became Milton Keynes Dons).

In the January 2004 transfer window, with Wimbledon now in administration, West Ham manager Alan Pardew signed McAnuff for West Ham United joining fellow former Wimbledon players, Nigel Reo-Coker, Adam Nowland and David Connolly.[3] He played only 14 games for the club, scoring 1 goal against Crewe.[4] In order to generate funds for future transfers Pardew was forced to sell McAnuff[5] and on 12 August 2004 he joined Cardiff City for a fee of £250,000 and was a virtual ever-present in his first year at the club. He made his debut against Ipswich Town, scoring his first goal against his former side West Ham United during a 4–1 win.[6] He played 48 games and scored 3 goals and picked up numerous player of the month awards. With Cardiff in financial difficulty, McAnuff left the club at the end of the 2004–05 season to join Crystal Palace for a fee of around £600,000.[7]

Crystal Palace

In his first season at Selhurst Park, McAnuff played 43 games and scored eight goals. His performances in the Championship understandably led to interest from a number of clubs and in the summer of 2006 being linked with moves to Watford, Bolton Wanderers and Charlton Athletic, the latter managed by his former boss at Palace Iain Dowie. However, it was announced during the summer 2006 transfer window that he would stay at Crystal Palace, and play for the Eagles under new boss Peter Taylor.

Watford

After a less successful 2006–07 campaign, McAnuff moved to Watford in June 2007 in a deal worth an initial £1.75 million.[8]

McAnuff playing for Watford in 2008

McAnuff endured a slow start to his Watford career and found himself out of the side for the early part of the season due to the loan arrival of young Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson. After Johnson's loan ended prematurely in November, McAnuff returned to the side and scored two important goals – the winner away at Sheffield Wednesday and a last minute long-distance strike to save a point at home to Cardiff City.

Reading

McAnuff playing for Reading in 2010

McAnuff joined Reading on 27 August 2009, then managed by former Watford boss Brendan Rodgers, on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee.[9] He made his debut against his former club Watford on 26 September 2009 with his first goal coming a month later in a 3–1 win over Coventry City on 31 October.[10]

He scored the third goal against Cardiff City in the 2011 play-off semi final with a storming run, sealing a 3–0 victory and sending Reading to Wembley for the final against Swansea City.[11] McAnuff started in the final and provided assists for both Reading goals but was unable to prevent them losing the game 4 – 2.[12] Ivar Ingimarsson and Matt Mills both left the club in the months following the play-off final defeat and on 13 July 2011, days after extending his contract until 2014, McAnuff was named as the new Reading captain.[13] On being named captain he paid tribute to his predecessors and described it as a "massive honour".[14]

The 2012–13 season saw McAnuff playing in the Premier League for the first time in his twelve-year career. By 27 November he had laid on four goals for his team mates, lying joint third in the league assists table.[15] He had to wait until February for his first goal of the season, scoring in Reading's 2–1 FA Cup fifth round defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford.[16]

He left the club at the end of the 2013–14 season.[17] McAnuff gave an exclusive interview to Get Reading saying he is fine over not getting a renewed contract, though he went on to say: "My time at Reading has been fantastic. It’s been a thoroughly enjoyable chapter of my life, a stable one as well. Five seasons is a large chunk of my career. I’ve captained the club with massive amounts of pride and enjoyment. I’ve had many great times, the Championship win obviously, and also some bad ones as well. But it’s been a fantastic experience. It’s a time of my career I’ll never forget."[18]

Leyton Orient

On 25 July 2014, McAnuff signed a two-year deal with League One side Leyton Orient.[19]

International career

Although he was born in England McAnuff qualifies to play for Jamaica through his father who was born there.[20] He made his international debut on 18 May 2002 in the 'Unity Cup', an exhibition game against Nigeria at Loftus Road, coming on as a substitute in the 55th minute replacing Omar Daley.[21] On 24 January 2013, more than ten years after he won his first cap, McAnuff was called up to the Jamaica squad to face Mexico on 7 February alongside fellow Reading players Adrian Mariappa and Garath McCleary.[22] He started the game and helped Jamaica to a 0–0 draw in the Estadio Azteca.[23][24]

Career statistics

As of match played 25 April 2015.[25]
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Wimbledon 2001–02 First Division 3842000— 404
2002–03 3141121— 346
2003–04 2753000— 305
Total 96136121— 10415
West Ham United 2003–04 First Division 12100001[lower-alpha 1]0 131
2004–05 Championship 100000— 10
Total 131000010 141
Cardiff City 2004–05 Championship 4322130— 483
Crystal Palace 2005–06 41721202[lower-alpha 2]0 478
2006–07 3452100— 366
Total 7512422020 8314
Watford 2007–08 Championship 39220002[lower-alpha 2]0 432
2008–09 4033020— 453
2009–10 300010— 40
Total 825503020 925
Reading 2009–10 Championship 3635000— 413
2010–11 40440003[lower-alpha 2]1 475
2011–12 4051010— 425
2012–13 Premier League 3801120— 411
2013–14 Championship 3520000— 352
Total 189141113031 20616
Leyton Orient 2014–15 League One 333002020 373
Total 333002020 373
Career total 53050285151101 58357
  1. ↑ Appearance in the First Division play-offs
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Appearances in the Championship play-offs

Honours

Reading
Jamaica

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Badgerson, Barry J. (2005). The PFA Premier & Football League Players' Records 1946–2005. Queen Anne Press. p. 385. ISBN 1-85291-665-6.
  2. ↑ "England & Wales births 1837–2006". FindMyPast. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  3. ↑ "West Ham sign McAnuff". BBC Sport. 2 March 2004. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
  4. ↑ "West Ham 4–2 Crewe". BBC Sport. 16 March 2004. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  5. ↑ "Pardew haunted by McAnuff". www.thisislondon.co.uk. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
  6. ↑ "Cardiff 4–1 West Ham". BBC Sport. 3 November 2004. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  7. ↑ "McAnuff completes Palace switch". BBC Sport. 31 May 2005. Retrieved 5 September 2008.
  8. ↑ "Winger McAnuff signs for Watford". BBC Sport. 5 June 2007. Retrieved 5 June 2007.
  9. ↑ "Reading sign McAnuff and Rasiak". BBC Sport. 27 August 2009. Retrieved 28 August 2009.
  10. ↑ "Coventry 1 – 3 Reading". BBC. 31 October 2009. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
  11. ↑ "Two-goal Long ends Reading FC's Wembley wait". Get Reading. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  12. ↑ "Reading 2 – 4 Swansea". BBC. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  13. ↑ "McAnuff picked as new Reading FC captain". Get Reading. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  14. ↑ "McAnuff honoured to be named Reading FC captain". Get Reading. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  15. ↑ "Our Assists King". Reading FC. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  16. ↑ "Man Utd 2–1 Reading". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  17. ↑ "Jobi, Mikele & Kaspars to move on". Reading F.C.
  18. ↑ "McAnuff: I'll never forget my five 'fantastic' years at Reading FC". Get Reading. 6 May 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
  19. ↑ "NEWS: Jobi McAnuff Signs". Leyton Orient F.C. 25 July 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  20. ↑ "Jobi raring to go for Reggae Boyz". Jamaica Observer. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  21. ↑ "Jamaica International Matches Details 1998–2010". rsssf.com. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  22. ↑ "Pearce earns call up". Reading FC. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  23. ↑ "Jamaica Starting 11 vs Mexico". Jamaica Football Federation. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  24. ↑ "Reggae Boyz hold Mexico nil all at the Azteca". Jamaica Observer. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  25. ↑ "Jobi McAnuff career statistics". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 August 2013.

External links

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